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Pioneer Square has had at least dozen identities. One of the first parts of Seattle to be built up by white settlers, it burned to the ground in 1889 and was quickly rebuilt. It still feels like something from the 19th century thanks to all the exposed brick and old buildings, but in more recent times its been both a nightlife hub and a neighborhood with more than its share of missions and other nonprofit organizations that serve those in need.
The COVID pandemic transformed Pioneer Square again. With the closure of downtown’s offices and the cancellation of all cruises and events at the nearby stadiums, the neighborhood’s economic life came to a screeching halt. Many of Pioneer Square’s restaurants closed permanently or were forced to reinvent themselves. But more recently, the area seems to be on the rise again, with new restaurants opening seemingly every week. Here are a few of our favorites, both new and old.
As always, this list is organized geographically, not ranked. If we missed something email us at seattle@eater.com
Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.
All those boffins trying to engineer lab-grown meat in the aim of satiating the world’s carnivorous tastes should pop down to this vegan restaurant in the old Il Corvo space and try Daniel Rojo’s soy al pastor. The achiote paste and vinegar marinade gives it heat, pineapples give it a sweetness, and the grill gives it a satisfyingly crispiness. Great fake meat is here, people, we’ve done it, it’s over, you can shut down your startups now.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73166333/rojos_taco_plate.0.jpg "8 Can’t-Miss Restaurants in Pioneer Square (3)")
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Pioneer Square may be one of the most history-drenched zip codes in Seattle, but 84 Yesler is thoroughly contemporary. The upscale dinner joint run by chef Christina Siegl and owned by restaurateur Sam Takahashi serves Italian and Japanese-inspired riffs on local ingredients. On a recent visit highlights included black cod in a luxurious, rich dashi bath and foie gras mousse on focaccia. Don’t skip dessert: The pavlova here has jagged shards of perfect meringue sticking out of a creamy, citrusy yogurt concoction.
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Nirmal's has been one of Seattle’s most celebrated Indian restaurants since it opened a decade ago. Its ever-shifting menu takes inspiration from India’s many regional cooking styles, and there’s always a great roster of vegetarian and vegan dishes on the menu. If you’re overwhelmed by choice here, don’t be afraid to fall back on the classics — on a recent visit the chicken korma was beautifully creamy and warming.
(206) 388-2196
(206) 388-2196
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This coffee shop allegedly serves bison barbacoa tacos, but in months of going here we’ve never actually been able to get ‘em, which is how popular they are. Even if you miss out on the tacos, though, there’s tons of other Indigenous foods and drinks here, including blue corn bread (with whole kernels adding a bit of texture) and wild rice coffee cake. It’s also one of the most beautiful spaces in Pioneer Square, with marble-smooth tree-trunk tables and custom-made ceramic mugs.
A relatively new entrant to Seattle’s thriving banh mi scene, Saigon Drip Cafe has innovation to spare. For starters, there’s the Banh Mi Dip, which comes with a side of beef bone marrow soup for dipping — a top choice if you can’t decide between banh mi and pho for lunch. Speaking of pho, you can get containers of their pho broth for takeaway in case you want to sip it during your afternoon Zooms. You can also get coffee here, and the to-go iced drinks come with a soda-can-style pop-top lid. Will wonders never cease??
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73166334/Saigon_Drip_Cafe_banh_mi_20230831_110659.0.jpg "8 Can’t-Miss Restaurants in Pioneer Square (9)")
Salumi is a Seattle institution founded by Mario Batali's father, Armandino. The Batali family has since sold the bulk of its stake in the place, but the sandwich shop remains largely unchanged. The meatballs are fairly famous at this point but the porchetta, with some sharp chimichurri sauce, is a terrific lunch as long as you can take a nap at your desk afterward. The Grindhouse is such a well-balanced Italian sandwich that we’re not even mad about the dill pickles in there. Just be warned that there’s typically a wait during peak lunch hours.
(206) 621-8772
(206) 621-8772
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73166335/Salumi_2002.0.0.0.0.jpg "8 Can’t-Miss Restaurants in Pioneer Square (10)")
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Darkalino’s caters to an extremely specific type of guy: a sneakerhead who loves to grab a focaccia sandwich when he’s having a client lunch, or nosh pasta when he’s on his way to the Macklemore show. That dude’s specific prayers have been answered at this shoe store/restaurant/cafe, and if you are that dude, we recommend the pesto sandwich, where the pillowy burrata gets an assist (basketball reference) from the delightfully sharp tomato jam.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73166336/IMG_3522.0.jpg "8 Can’t-Miss Restaurants in Pioneer Square (13)")
Is there anything more Seattle than slurping down Shigoku oysters and getting rowdy on local beer and wine before a Seahawks game? Venerable Taylor Shellfish Farms’ Pioneer Square bar is the perfect pre-game haven, weekday happy hour, or weekend destination for the freshest seafood on the West Coast.
- 9 Succulent Barbecue Restaurants in the Seattle Area
- 15 Vibrant Vietnamese Restaurants in Seattle
- 21 Terrific Restaurants in Tacoma
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All those boffins trying to engineer lab-grown meat in the aim of satiating the world’s carnivorous tastes should pop down to this vegan restaurant in the old Il Corvo space and try Daniel Rojo’s soy al pastor. The achiote paste and vinegar marinade gives it heat, pineapples give it a sweetness, and the grill gives it a satisfyingly crispiness. Great fake meat is here, people, we’ve done it, it’s over, you can shut down your startups now.
Pioneer Square may be one of the most history-drenched zip codes in Seattle, but 84 Yesler is thoroughly contemporary. The upscale dinner joint run by chef Christina Siegl and owned by restaurateur Sam Takahashi serves Italian and Japanese-inspired riffs on local ingredients. On a recent visit highlights included black cod in a luxurious, rich dashi bath and foie gras mousse on focaccia. Don’t skip dessert: The pavlova here has jagged shards of perfect meringue sticking out of a creamy, citrusy yogurt concoction.
Nirmal's has been one of Seattle’s most celebrated Indian restaurants since it opened a decade ago. Its ever-shifting menu takes inspiration from India’s many regional cooking styles, and there’s always a great roster of vegetarian and vegan dishes on the menu. If you’re overwhelmed by choice here, don’t be afraid to fall back on the classics — on a recent visit the chicken korma was beautifully creamy and warming.
This coffee shop allegedly serves bison barbacoa tacos, but in months of going here we’ve never actually been able to get ‘em, which is how popular they are. Even if you miss out on the tacos, though, there’s tons of other Indigenous foods and drinks here, including blue corn bread (with whole kernels adding a bit of texture) and wild rice coffee cake. It’s also one of the most beautiful spaces in Pioneer Square, with marble-smooth tree-trunk tables and custom-made ceramic mugs.
A relatively new entrant to Seattle’s thriving banh mi scene, Saigon Drip Cafe has innovation to spare. For starters, there’s the Banh Mi Dip, which comes with a side of beef bone marrow soup for dipping — a top choice if you can’t decide between banh mi and pho for lunch. Speaking of pho, you can get containers of their pho broth for takeaway in case you want to sip it during your afternoon Zooms. You can also get coffee here, and the to-go iced drinks come with a soda-can-style pop-top lid. Will wonders never cease??
Salumi is a Seattle institution founded by Mario Batali's father, Armandino. The Batali family has since sold the bulk of its stake in the place, but the sandwich shop remains largely unchanged. The meatballs are fairly famous at this point but the porchetta, with some sharp chimichurri sauce, is a terrific lunch as long as you can take a nap at your desk afterward. The Grindhouse is such a well-balanced Italian sandwich that we’re not even mad about the dill pickles in there. Just be warned that there’s typically a wait during peak lunch hours.
(206) 621-8772
(206) 621-8772
Darkalino’s caters to an extremely specific type of guy: a sneakerhead who loves to grab a focaccia sandwich when he’s having a client lunch, or nosh pasta when he’s on his way to the Macklemore show. That dude’s specific prayers have been answered at this shoe store/restaurant/cafe, and if you are that dude, we recommend the pesto sandwich, where the pillowy burrata gets an assist (basketball reference) from the delightfully sharp tomato jam.
Is there anything more Seattle than slurping down Shigoku oysters and getting rowdy on local beer and wine before a Seahawks game? Venerable Taylor Shellfish Farms’ Pioneer Square bar is the perfect pre-game haven, weekday happy hour, or weekend destination for the freshest seafood on the West Coast.
- 9 Succulent Barbecue Restaurants in the Seattle Area
- 15 Vibrant Vietnamese Restaurants in Seattle
- 21 Terrific Restaurants in Tacoma
